Wednesday, May 6, 2009

4:10 PM

U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, R-Menomonee Falls, has signed onto a letter by fellow members of Congress asking the Obama administration to decline the EPA's request increase the percentage of ethanol in blended gasoline.

Sensenbrenner said increasing the blend beyond its current 10 percent level will negatively affect consumers in a bad economy.

"While I support renewable fuels, increasing the ethanol blend in gasoline will have the unintended consequence of rising fuel costs for Americans," Sensenbrenner said in a statement. "As ethanol requires more fuel to travel the same distance, drivers will need to refuel more often, and therefore, feel the pinch at the pump more frequently."